The Gunter & Co Guide to practical bathroom design ideas: part 1
Our guide to making sure your bathroom has substance as well as style, by London interior designer Irene Gunter
When planning the ultimate bathroom sanctuary, it’s all too easy to get carried away by the finishing touches. Think gorgeously fresh and fragrant scented candles, luxurious Egyptian cotton towels and a colour scheme you long to come home to. Yet it’s the practical bathroom design ideas that will shape your bathroom and provide the functional space you and your household really need. Without this, all the beautiful finishes and little touches will just drown in a sea of products - it’s our job to think of all the best way to make a bathroom work hard, without looking like it’s trying.
Bathroom planning essentials
Overall layout - what would you like to include? We often draw each bathroom in various iterations and turn the layout upside down before ending up with a balanced scheme that gives the right amount of space to each function as well as having that little ‘je ne sais quoi’ wow factor (who doesn’t love walking into a bathroom with a stunning tub or vanity as a focal point, having the W.C. in front of you as you enter takes away from the sophistication and elegance and is a big no no for us).
Baths
Start by considering all the essential elements… freestanding or built-in bath - connected to a shower a built-in bath can often be included where space is at a premium and even serve as a neat bench or shelving storage as seen in the image to the left.
A freestanding bath is often discounted because it’s considered less practical, however there are lots of dedicated small side tables that can really complement the aesthetic of the bathroom and add that practical aspect. A freestanding tub will create a striking centrepiece for any bathroom scheme with a huge range of styles of exterior to complement or contrast with the rest of the design. Cast iron with legs will immediately set a classical tone to the bathroom whereas reconstituted stone has more flexibility and can come in more modern or classical models.
Here are a few freestanding bath designs from our recent projects.
One of our favourite designs is the Paris bathtub by the Water Monopoly, a totally classic bath-tub that would elevate any bathroom design. We encourage our clients to take every opportunity to test out a bathtub. If you’re a lover of long hot baths like me, there’s nothing more awkward than sliding down if the tub is too long, or feeling cramped when it’s a little too narrow.
When it comes to children’s toys having a built-in bath with hidden storage compartments is incredibly handy. However that doesn’t mean it needs to be unsightly, there are some incredibly bathtubs available with storage elements which look the part.
SHOWERS
Is there room for a separate shower enclosure or will it need to be an over-bath shower design? The latest trends include oversized ceiling shower roses, body jets for targeted massage and digital technology for remote control and personalised programmes to give everybody their preferred water temperature and flow, including mood lighting. Nothing says luxury like an oversized walk-in shower with double his & hers shower heads, so where space allows, think big.
Don’t forget that bathrooms aren’t just about what you see, but also the services hiding behind. Think about how much hot water you need to store in a tank to ensure you can enjoy that 25 minute long shower whilst someone else is having a shower on the next floor, without loosing any pressure. We always ensure the shower waste is carefully integrated in the floor build-up so you can ensure a wet-room style walk in shower tiled in the same finish as the rest of the shower floor. To us, this is an absolute must have to ensure the bathroom feels as large as possible without the interruption of a stand-out shower tray.
Nobody likes to see shower gels and shampoos stored in a shower basket. Instead think ahead and position the shower against a partition wall where creating a dedicated niche for your products is an easy solution that adds style and substance. We always integrate IP rated LED lighting for a cozy mood and angle the bottom surface of the niche by a few degrees to ensure water doesn’t stagnate.
When space is generous - think about including a bench like shown below - especially with a cascading shower head above it makes for a reinvigorating addition to your shower.
Good extraction is incredibly important to create a good air flow, however most standard extraction methods are loud and unsightly. Over the years this has been a bit of a pet project for me and we’ve now honed our design to a T. We use incredibly powerful in-line fans which are positioned within the ceiling which means they’re very quiet, and they terminate in a trimless plastered-in grill.
Finally, lighting in a shower is very often overlooked, or a few spots are added at high level. How you perceive yourself in the environment is key to enjoying the showering experience. Having subtle and flattering lighting is a key objective; where possible indirect lighting is our go-to solution for an enjoyable shower where lighting evokes spa-like calmness.
BASINS
Next, look to the basin. Dual basins are extremely useful and practical while vanity units provide valuable storage. Countertop or vessel basins are available in so many stunning materials to create instant impact, yet they’re much less practical with water drips gathering around the edges and on the vanity worktop.
We usually opt for under-counter sinks for a classic and timeless aesthetic, and usually prefer a 3-hole tap (wall mounted or surface-mounted) for the most elegant style. Yet for children’s bathroom a mixer tap where you can determine the temperature with a single hand is much more sensible.
This is an example of a seamlessly integrated corian basin within a corian top - the ultimate sleek look and incredibly easy to clean and maintain. Major bonus, it’s incredibly soft to the touch, tactile surfaces are an important consideration in a bathroom
TOILETS
No-one really likes to give too much thought to the WC but there are some amazing shower toilets available that will really elevate your design to a practical, high-tech space that combines functionality with state-of-the-art solutions to make life simpler.
